She was originally from the north and preferred pasta, but this was the south, where rice was the staple food.
Steamed buns were out of the question, but noodles were possible.
He Xiaolan turned back, looking a bit troubled, "We're out of noodles at home. Can I make you a bowl of pickled mustard green rice noodles instead?"
This was the first time she had heard Educated Youth Shen speak like this; it seemed she really wanted noodles...
"Or, I can go borrow some from someone else."
Disappointment flashed across Shen Zhao's face. "It's fine, just the rice noodles."
She put down the meat and left.
He Xiaolan quickly sliced the meat, stir-fried it with chopped chili and pickled mustard greens.
Then, in another pot, she boiled dried rice noodles and small bok choy in hot water, adding a bit of lard and soy sauce mixed with hot water to the bowl.
After the rice noodles were cooked, she scooped them into the bowl and topped them with a large spoonful of pickled mustard green and shredded meat.
She then added a fried egg and sprinkled on some chopped scallions.
The white rice noodles, the bright red soup, and the vibrant green of the vegetables looked incredibly appetizing.
Shen Zhao was instantly captivated, her eyes narrowing with a very good mood. "You guys can have the rest of the shredded meat."
This bowl had both egg and lard, so the remaining meat was compensation.
He Xiaolan smiled and thanked her.
Although Shen Zhao had a bad temper, she was generous with her money and gave freely.
In the few days she had been here, the family had meat almost every day.
Tan Meifang's mother's surname was Liu, and her name was Liu Xiu. Her family was from the neighboring Qingshan Brigade and had been butchers for generations. She had five older brothers, and she herself was also large and strong.
Otherwise, Tan Meifang wouldn't have been born with such large breasts and hips.
She had gone back to her maiden home today and only returned to the village in the afternoon. Before she even reached her own house, she heard the aunts on the road telling her that her husband and daughter had been doused with feces.
She returned home in a furious rage.
She then discovered that both her husband and daughter had a fever. She quickly made them each drink a bowl of ginger and brown sugar water and told them to go to bed to sweat it out.
In the village, people wouldn't go to the hospital unless it was an absolute last resort.
After taking care of them, Liu Xiu felt increasingly indignant.
But Shen Zhao was staying at the He family's house, so she wouldn't get any advantage by going there. There were four people at the Educated Youth Point, and she couldn't possibly defeat them either...
Between two evils, choose the lesser.
She immediately went out and found her idle son...
..
Since there was no work in the afternoon, Shen Zhao wanted to go up the mountain after eating.
After getting her gear ready, she headed up the mountain. This time, she took a different path and harvested dozens of pounds of Chicken Blood Vine and about ten Paris Polyphylla.
Most surprisingly, she also found a stalk of Ginseng.
It took her two hours to dig it out completely intact. By then, it was already past four in the afternoon.
Shen Zhao put the Ginseng into her space and turned around to see a fleeting gray shadow.
A rabbit!
Her heart leaped with joy; a rabbit had more meat than a wild chicken.
She quickly took out her bow and arrow and chased after it.
Perhaps her actions startled the rabbit, and it ran blindly, crashing into a tree trunk and falling unconscious.
Shen Zhao: ... I had just nocked an arrow...
Pathetic.
Shen Zhao, who had gained something for nothing, was a little depressed. She put away her bow and arrow, walked over, and picked up the rabbit by its ears.
It was an adult gray rabbit, very plump, estimated to weigh four to five pounds.
Not bad.
She put the rabbit into her bamboo basket and covered it with leaves.
On the way down the mountain, Shen Zhao shot another wild chicken.
As soon as she reached the foot of the mountain, she saw three men standing not far away, clearly waiting to ambush her.
Tan Xiaowen approached with ill intentions, "Educated Youth Shen, what did you get from the mountain? You're undermining capitalism. We're going to report you."
Shen Zhao: "What kind of idiot are you? If you want to report me, go ahead."
"Who the hell are you calling an idiot!"
"Whoever answers is the one."
Tan Xiaowen was furious, "Damn it, brothers, let's drag her to the bamboo forest and have some fun first."
His mother had told him that he must make her suffer and ruin her reputation.
Although Shen Zhao wasn't particularly good-looking, she was from the city, young, and her skin was delicate.
He and his brothers wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Tan Xiaowen's face was full of malice; she would soon become a slut...
Shen Zhao's expression turned cold. She hadn't intended to use force today, but since they were asking for death...
She backhanded her hand and pulled out her exclusive wooden shovel for hitting people from her bamboo basket.
The three men were stunned.
Who carries a shovel when they go out?
"Hahaha!!!" Tan Xiaowen laughed triumphantly, "Scared, aren't you? If you each give us ten yuan, maybe... Ouch! That hurts!"
Shen Zhao didn't wait for him to finish and swung the shovel, hitting him in the face.
One side of his face visibly swelled up.
She swung again and quickly beat the three of them until they were running around with their heads in their hands, screaming for help.
Shen Zhao chased them with the shovel, playing with them like a cat playing with mice.
"Help... spare us."
"We'll never dare again..."
"I was wrong..."
Shen Zhao kicked him down, "You dare to rob me? I'll beat you to death!"
The commotion here quickly attracted attention, and people ran over to watch the spectacle.
Since Tan Xiaowen and the others couldn't escape, Shen Zhao held them down and punched them, explaining the situation with each blow.
Liu Xiu saw a crowd gathered from a distance and thought it was her son's doing.
She quickly pushed through the crowd, about to scold Shen Zhao for being shameless, but her voice caught in her throat as if she had been choked.
"Xiao Wen! My son!!!"
She ran over and hugged Tan Xiaowen's head, only to see her son's face swollen like a pig's head.
"Mom... I want you to get revenge for me." Tan Xiaowen cried his eyes out, utterly helpless.
Liu Xiu suddenly looked up and charged at Shen Zhao.
"You slut, you cheap whore, you've probably slept with who knows how many people. You hit my son, I'll fight you to the death!"
She didn't forget to smear her reputation even now.
Shen Zhao didn't hold back either and kicked her three meters away.
Bang!
Liu Xiu fell heavily to the ground, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
"Stop!"
He Jianping pushed through the crowd, arriving late. Seeing it was Shen Zhao again, his temples couldn't help but throb.
He wanted to run away.
But he was the Team Leader... he couldn't leave.
"Educated Youth Shen, what are you doing now?"
At this moment, the families of Tan Xiaowen's two followers also arrived. Seeing their miserable state, they were all furious.
They all demanded an explanation from Shen Zhao.
"You beat my son like this, pay up! Otherwise, we'll report you to the Public Security Bureau."
"Yes, report her to the Public Security Bureau, have a Struggle Session."
"People like this should go to the Farm to suffer!"
Gu Qiu and Ji Bai finally arrived, glaring at everyone. "You're talking nonsense! Why would Shen Zhao hit him for no reason?"
Ji Bai said gently but firmly, "We believe in Educated Youth Shen. You must have provoked her first."
Zhou Xiaoyan sneered, "Why couldn't she have seduced the Party Secretary's son, and then, being rejected for being ugly, lost her temper and beat him."
She then looked at Tan Xiaowen, "Don't be afraid, my uncle works at the Police Station. He will definitely give you justice."
This wild imagination, Shen Zhao just wanted to say it was incredible.
Liu Xiu, who was already feeling guilty, heard this theory and felt emboldened again. She struggled to get up.
"Yes! She seduced my son, that shameless slut."
Shen Zhao raised her wooden shovel and slapped her. "If your mouth isn't clean, I'll break your legs!"
"Gu Qiu, Ji Bai, please make a trip for me. I'll pay for your trouble."
✦✦✦